


I'm Coming Home

by wanderingsouls



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 05:32:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15656775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingsouls/pseuds/wanderingsouls
Summary: Lance has a memory of a past birthday on his journey back to Earth.





	I'm Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [home](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/405876) by kiilea. 



> There was barely a change to what I originally wrote.

“Lance!” Veronica yelled, walking over to where her little brother crouched towards the wet sand. The waves yawned up to his feet, splashing up his ankles as he submerged his hands in the brief touch of sea.

“Lance!” She called again, annoyed he wasn’t listening to her. He’s a kid, she has to remind herself; watching Lance dig through the wet sand and cup something in his hands.

As she drew nearer, Veronica observed those curious eyes analyze the hidden treasure in his hands. Her annoyance towards her brother twisting to endearment as a gentle breeze ruffled through his overgrown hair. Causing Lance to attempt using his upper arms to brush the strands away, so not to lose the treasure in his hands. She watched as he struggled until she was right behind him, tucking his bangs out of his face.

Not even a thank you, Veronica chides to herself, a shake of the head. She shakes her head, briefly eyeing the sand crab in his hands before nudging him.

“Lance, get up. Abuela wants to take family pictures.” Veronica says.

Lance’s shoulders sag, letting the ticklish creature return to its home. Happy, but sad to see it burrow itself beneath the sand again.

“She already took a bunch on the boardwalk.” Lance complains, washing his hands in the welcoming stretch of the sea. Watching as it pulls away from Lance to only return in a silent promise.

“You know how much she likes her pictures. So, get up.” She grabs Lance by the forearm and pulls him up. Once he’s standing, Veronica turns and starts walking back to the large, red, umbrella standing tall from the sand where their family stands; waiting for Veronica and the birthday boy to arrive.

When Veronica turns around, she sees Lance stepping his way through the sand.

“Okay everyone, picture time!” Abuela chirps. “Marco, hold the camera!”

Marco, Veronica and Lance’s brother, takes their abuela’s phone and holds it an arms length in the air as the family behind him bunches together; attempting to fit in the phone’s screen.

“Smile!” Abuela says, as Marco takes a series of photos.

It takes another minute or so of them taking more of the same picture because when Abuela checked, not everyone was smiling.

“Lance, no silly faces.” His mother chides as they take another photo.

“But Luis is doing it!” Lance cries, pointing at his other brother.

“Am not!” Luis argues, swatting at Lance’s hand.

“Are to!”

“Shh!” Their mother hisses, slapping their accusing hands away from each other.

“Smile for abuela!” To her command, they fall silent. Giving the other a final glare, silently seething at the other as they smile into the camera.

To Lance’s joy, abuela is satisfied after this picture.

Quickly, he darts back to the shore and splashes his feet in the coming stretch of water. The cuffs of his pants getting soaked. He kicks the water into the air as far as he can, he dances his legs in small circles (reveling in the way the water sways with him), he plays with the sand crabs that come from each yawn of the sea; eating snacks and drinks from the cooler every now and then.

He plays with the water and crabs for _hours_. (His siblings and parents filtering in and our to play with him or check up on him.) Occasionally finding a broken piece of shell he “steals.” But too quickly, it’s time to leave the beach and wrap up the day.

Instead of Veronica coming to get him, it’s Marco.

“It’s time to go Lance.” He says, shaking Lance’s shoulders back and forth playfully.

“Can we stay a little longer?” Lance asks, giving Marco his best attempt at puppy eyes. (Mama always told him he had irresistible puppy eyes.) But Marco only laughs at the face Lance makes, knowing too well what his younger brother was trying to do.

“We’ve been hear for hours, Lance; it’s time to go home.” Lance nods in defeat, not wanting to upset his parents for being stubborn or selfish. Before Marco walks away, Lance grabs his arm and pulls out the sand dollar he found during the last hour.

“Look! I found a sand dollar!” Lance cheers, handing it to Marco to show off. Marco smiles, gently taking the sand dollar.

“Uh! That feels weird!” Marco cries with a frown. He flips the sand dollar over to see black on the back of the sand dollar. Marco lowers it to face Lance.

“When it’s black like this, it means the sand dollar is still alive.” Marco tells Lance before tossing it back into the ocean.

“It’s when they’re white, from the Sun, can you keep them because that’s when they’re dead.” Marco says. Lance nods, disappointment he couldn’t keep it. Marco  slings an arm around Lance, turning both of them to head back to their family back on the beach.

“Maybe next time you’ll find one that’s dead.” Marco encourages but when he said it like that, Lance wasn’t sure he wanted a sand dollar anymore.

The two are about to head back when they are stopped by their mother.

“Abuela wants a picture of Lance right here.” Marco removes his arm from around Lance, patting Lance’s shoulder, and walks away. Lance yawns, turning back to the sea as he waits for his abuela.

Facing the horizon, Lance is surprised to see the Sun setting. He had been so entranced by the sea he had neglected to pay attention to the time.

“Lance, look at the camera.” Abuela calls. Turning his head, Lance sees abuela with her phone. He smiles at her, not knowing if she has taken the picture or was waiting for Lance to smile.

On the car ride home, Lance is stuck in the middle of Marco and Luis with Veronica in the back of the car.

“How did you like your birthday?” Lance’s father asks, smiling at Lance in the review mirror.

“I liked it!” Lance replied.

“I found a sand dollar, but it was still alive. And I got all these shells!” Lance said, pulling out shells wrapped in his jacket.

“I’m glad, mijo.” His father says, grinning back at Lance.

“When we get home, I want all of you to shower.” Their mothers says.

“Can I shower first?” Luis asks. “I feel itchy.”

“Ask Lance.” Says their father. “It’s his birthday.”

“You can go first, Luis. I can wait.” Lance says with a smile before closing his eyes for the long ride home.

The rest of the car ride is filled with the sounds of the freeway and the car’s radio. It lulls Lance to sleep, but not before he tells his mother what he wants to eat for dinner.

 

*                                                        *                                                         *

 

Lance fiddles with the sea shell necklace he got that day around his neck. A distant smile on his face as he stares at the stars on the most recent planet they’d landed on. It was a quiet and peaceful planet that they had been relieved to find on their way back to Earth.

“That had been a fun birthday.” He sighs, dreamily.

The stars wink at him as he reminisces being eight and wishing abuela would stop with her pictures. He wonders if his birthday has passed since he’s left Earth.

Probably, Lance thinks dishearteningly.

I wonder what they did with me gone, Lance wonders. Saddened by the thought, Lance shakes his head to rid himself of the negative thoughts.

A cool breeze brushes against Lance’s growing bangs has Lance losing the brief joy of his past. Sinking him back into the gloom of homesickness.h The gentle touch reminding Lance where he is and what may lie ahead of him on Earth.

A sinking feeling takes place in his chest as a new thought comes to him. He hasn’t prayed in a while, probably since he joined the Garrison and his prayers may be useless to what may unfold. But, it couldn’t hurt to do it.

Believing in God and praying to him for help is one thing, his mother had told him. But taking action, that’s all you.

That’s you taking using the free will God gave everyone. Your will is what changes what happens. Your will is what makes a difference. The Lord is just a helping hand in the strength you have to carry on.

So, for extra measure and to feel close to home, Lance asks the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to hear his prayers because he’s pretty sure it might be his birthday.


End file.
